During your treatment you are likely to meet
several health professionals who will perform the various tests and
treatments your doctor recommends. It may be difficult at first to
talk with them about your illness and your feelings about
treatment. But each of them can offer information to help you feel
more at ease. By talking with the professionals who care for you,
you will come to understand more about cancer and its treatment and
be better able to cope.
These are some of the specialists you may meet or hear
about:
- Anesthesiologist
-A doctor who administers drugs
or gases to put you to sleep before surgery.
- Clinical nurse specialist
-A nurse with special
knowledge in a particular area, such as postoperative care or
radiation therapy.
- Medical oncologist
-A doctor who administers
anticancer drugs or chemotherapy.
- Pathologist
-A doctor who examines tissue removed
by biopsy to see if the tissue is cancer.
- Personal physician
-Your doctor, who will be
responsible for coordinating your treatment and working with you to
ensure that treatment is satisfactory. Your personal physician may
be a surgeon, radiation oncologist, medical oncologist, or family
physician.
- Physical therapist
-A specialist who helps in
rehabilitation after surgery by using exercise, heat, light, and
massage.
- Plastic surgeon
-A doctor who specializes in
rehabilitative and cosmetic surgery. Plastic surgeons perform
breast reconstruction.
- Radiation oncologist
-A doctor who supervises
radiation therapy.
- Radiation therapy technologist
-A specially
trained technician who helps the radiation oncologist give external
radiation treatments.
- Surgeon
-A doctor who performs surgery, such as
biopsy and mastectomy.
